Administrator cleared over hospital dancing party

An official inquiry on a Christmas party held inside the main entrance of the Red Cross general hospital in Athens that was caught on video, has cleared the administrator of any wrongdoing. 

The report says that Elpiniki Tavianatou is absolved of any responsibility as “the testimonies of all persons involved indicated that this party has been held annually for many years in the same specific location.”

The report also said that the administration had issued instructions to keep patients away from the area and that one woman seen in the video pushed on a stretcher had expressed a wish to see the festivities and was discharged shortly after. 

The inquiry was headed by the director of the Ippokrateio hospital.

In the video, a group of four people can be seen dancing to live music performed by a two-member band. A patient is also visible in the video, being led on a stretcher through the area by porters. Although patients were told not to use that space at the time of the party, this patient allegedly requested passage from there to “lift his spirits” and is said to have been discharged a few hours later.

The video was uploaded to social media and provoked outrage, also garnering criticism from opposition MPs.

The party, which is said to have taken place on December 20, was allegedly organized by the hospital administrator.